Container



March 30, 1954 M. M. BARTON CONTAINER Filed Jan. 15, 1949 lhmentorGttorncg 25 Patented Mar. 30, 1954 CONTAINER Murray M. Barton, KansasCity, Mo., assignor to Injection Molding Company, Kansas City, Mo., acorporation of Missouri Application January 15, 1949, Serial No. 71,087

2 Claims. 1

This invention relates to a bottle or container particularly fordispensing liquids by the drop, the principal object of the inventionbeing to provide a container of this character having the body portionformed of a resilient plastic material whereby pressure applied onopposite sides creates suihcient pressure to discharge the contents bythe drop.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a container or bottle withmeans for restricting the extent of movement of the sides so as todischarge a single drop or a given number of drops with each applicationof pressure; to provide a dropper type bottle with a removable top orstopper which facilitates filling thereof; to provide a leak-tightconnection between the body of the bottle and stopper incidental to theresiliency of the material from which the body of the bottle isconstructed; and to provide the stopper with an integral dispensingnozzle covered by a removable cap also formed of resilient material forkeeping the nozzle in sanitary condition and for preventing leakagethrough the dispensing aperture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the invention, I haveprovided improved structure, the preferred forms of which areillustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a bottle type container constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the cap removed and the bottle invertedwith a squeezing pressure being applied to the sides thereof foreffecting discharge of the contents in drops.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the bottle.

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the parts of the bottle shown indisassembled spaced relation.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through a modified form of the invention,particularly designed for dispensing medicaments into body cavities andshowing the bottle equipped with means for limiting flexure of the bodyportion to effect dispensing a measured number of drops.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary section through a portion of thebottle illustrated in Fig. 5, particularly illustrating anchorage of thefiexure limiting means.

Referring more in detail to the drawing:

I designates a bottle type container constructed in accordance with thepresent invention and which includes a body portion 2 and a top orstopper 3 having a dispensing neck or nozzle 4 covered by a cap 5.

In carrying out the present invention the body 2 is formed of anelastomeric material, for example, a polyethylene plastic, preferablyclear or of suficient transparency to show the contents therethrough.The body portion may be of any desired shape but is shown in the drawingas comprising a cylindrical wall 6 and an integral bottom 1 on which thebottle is adapted to be supported in upright position. The opposite endis open to receive the stopper 3. In order to retain and anchor thestopper, the body member has an internal annular rib 8 that projectsinwardly from the inner surface 9 of the wall 5 and which is spaceddownwardly from the rim it of the wall.

The top or stopper 3 is formed of a rigid material, for example, apolystyrene plastic, preferably of transparent character, although itmay be colored, if desired. The stopper includes a conical top portionll substantially conforming at its base with the outer diameter of thebody portion and depending therefrom is an annular skirt l2 of slightlylarger outer diameter than the inner diameter of the wall 6 so that whenthe stopper is inserted within the open end of the bottle the wall 8stretches slightly thereover to assure firm engagement of the rib 8within an annular groove l3 of the skirt. forms an annular shoulderportion [4 to seat on; the rim I0 as shown in Fig. 3 when the ribengages in the groove. The stopper carries a. dispensing neck i5 thatincludes a substantiallycylindrical portion [6 joining with the conicaliportion and terminating in a rounded end I11 having a dispensingaperture l8 therein through; which a liquid is dispensed from thebottle.

To facilitate insertion of the stopper and effect; movement thereof pastthe rib 8, the lower edge: of the skirt is preferably rounded asindicated! at l9.

The cap 5 is also formed of an elastomeric material to provideelasticity for gripping the dispensing neck andincludes a cylindricalwall. portion 20 of slightly smaller diameter than the, cylindricalportion of the dispensing means to assure retention thereof when the capis placed on the stopper. The base portion of the cap is preferablyprovided with an internal annular bevel 2| conforming with the conicalportion of the stopper so that it seats closely thereagainst. The upperportion 22 of the cap is of dome shape to closely cover the dispensingaperture and the periphery of the cylindrical portion may be providedwith suitable ribs 23 or the like for facilitating removal of the cap.

The form of invention shown in Fig. 5 includes The skirt.

body and stopper members 24 and 25 corresponding with the same parts ofthe bottle first described, however, the dispensing nozzle is ofelongated shape whereby the bottle is adapted for dispensing nose dropsor similar medicaments for injection by drops into body cavities. Thecap 26 also conforms to the shape of the nozzle and has a cylindricalinner base portion 21 adapted to engage a cylindrical collar portion 28at the base of the nozzle. In order that the bottle may be utilized fordispensing a single drop or a given number of drops, the interior of thebody member 24 is provided with a sleeve-like member 29 that is formedof rigid material and has a somewhat smaller diameter than the innerdiameter of the body portion to provide a limited space 30 therebetweenfor accommodating a limited inward flexure of the walls to eiiectdischarge of a given amount of liquid upon each pressure application.The base portion of the sleeve 29 is anchored within the body member bya circumferential flange 3| engaging under an annular rib 32 that isspaced sli htly above the bottom of the bottle and which extendsinwardly from the wall thereof as best illustrated in Fig. 6. If thespace 30 is relatively narrow, the bottle will dispense only a singledrop upon each pressure application but by providing a wider space twoor more drops are dispensed. It is thus obvious that the bottle may bedesigned to dispense a given number of drops by providing inserts ofsize to give the required wall movement.

The bottle may be filled prior to insertion of the top or stopper, afterwhich the skirt portion of the stopper is passed within the open end ofthe body member to cause the rib 8 to spring into the groove l3 andeffect a liquid-tight seal at the time the shoulder 14 seats against therim of the wall 6. The cap 5 is applied over the neck of the stopper soas to effect closure of the dispensing aperture I8.

In using the bottle to dispense the contents by drops, the cap 5 isremoved and the bottle is inverted with the body portion being heldbetween the thumb and finger as shown in Fig. 2, soas to applypressure'on opposite sides of the wall 6, which pressure acts on theliquid to effect discharge thereof in drops through the aperture l8.

In.the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 5 and 6, the walls areflexed inwardly until stopped by the rigid insert, which movement issufficient to effect dispensing of one or a given number of drops witheach application of pressure depending upon the space 30.

From the foregoing it is ObVlOllS that I have provided a bottle ofsimple and inexpensive construction and which may be used for dispensingmedicaments and the like by drops directly from the bottle without theuse of the conventional dropper. It is also obvious that the parts ofthe bottle may be constructed of various colored 4 plastics to providean attractive container in which medicaments or the like may bepackaged. What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

5 1. A container including a body member adapted to contain a liquid tobe dispensed and having a resilient wall portion defining an open topand capable of being flexed inwardly to eject said liquid, a rigidstopper closing said open top and having a portion engaging within saidopen top and gripped by said wall portion to retain said stopper, and arigid insert in said body for limiting inward fiexure of said wallportion, said insert comprising a sleeve spaced from the resilient wallportion and having a flange interengaging an inwardly extending rib onsaid body member.

2. A container including, a body member formed of resilient material andhaving a cylindrical wall terminating at one end in a closed bottom andat the other end in an annular rim encircling an opening substantiallyconforming to the inner diameter of said cylindrical wall, saidcylindrical wall having an annular rib projecting inwardly within thecontainer and spaced from said annular rim to provide a cylindrical faceportion between said rim and said rib, a stopper having a cylindricalskirt provided with a cylindrical face portion conforming to thecylindrical face portion of the container and in contact therewith toform a liquid-tight joint and having an annular groove conforming withand receiving the annular rib therein for retaining said contact of thecylindrical face portions and to stiffen the portion of the wall incontact with said skirt whereby the flexibility of said wall issubstantially confined between said skirt portion and the closed bottom,said stopper having an annular stop shoulder seating against the rim ofsaid wall when the rib is engaged in said groove, and a rigid insertlocated within the body member and spaced inwardly from said wall forlimiting inward flexing movement of said flexible portion of the wall.

lVIURRAY M. BARTON.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 630,277 Weitling Aug. 1, 1899 694,530 Comer Mar. 4, 1902811,801 Smith Feb. 6, 1906 1,748,682 Smith Feb. 25, 1930 1,760,841Carhart May 27, 1930 1,956,146 Burton Apr. 24, 1934 2,207,294 Hubner etal. July 9, 1940 2,500,639 Lermer Mar. 14, 1950 FOREIGN PATENTS NumberCountry Date 12,099 Great Britain June 20, 1893 719,104 France Nov. 13,1931

